9am

Welcome and opening remarks

Keynote

2025/26 Market & Media Outlook

A fast-paced recap of the industry's biggest headlines over the past year, paired with a timely economic and market outlook. Expect candid analysis of the forces shaping Australia's wagering and racing landscape and bold predictions for the year ahead.

09:15am - 9:45am

Panel

Artificial Intelligence: Real-World Applications, Operational Risks and Industry Use

Practical perspectives on how AI is reshaping wagering operations day to day. Panellists will explore proven applications, the risks operators are navigating, and what genuine AI adoption looks like at the coalface of the industry.

9:45am - 10:30am

Panel

Prediction Markets: A Fireside Chat

An in-depth conversation on the rise of prediction markets globally. What do they mean for traditional wagering? How are operators and regulators responding? And where does Australia fit in an evolving global landscape?

11:00am - 11:45am

Keynote

Break Out Sessions - Part One

A provocative invitation to rethink what sports fandom means today. This keynote exposes the cultural forces driving its evolution, revealing how fandom is fragmenting and reassembling in new and unexpected ways. Drawing on his work with ESPN, Network Ten, Optus and the AFL, Valerio offers a fresh lens on culture-first, athlete-driven, and participatory fandom - and what sport can do to remain culturally fluent in the digital age.

11:45am - 12:30pm

Panel

Break Out Sessions - Part Two

This session explores how innovation, technology, and new business models are helping the industry connect with modern audiences, enhance engagement, and create new pathways for fans to get involved. This is your front-row seat to the future of fandom.

1:30pm - 2:15pm

Panel

C-Suite Showcase: Wagering Service Providers

Join a panel of Australia’s leading wagering C-suite executives as they unpack the forces shaping the future of the sector. From tax caps and POCT audits to regulatory pressures and evolving market dynamics., this session will explore the strategic decision leaders are making today, and where they’re steering the industry over the next 3–5 years.

2:15pm - 3:00pm

Myths, Truths and Solutions – Breeding, Bloodstock and Training in 2025

The Straight, Australia’s highly respected independent online racing publication, brings its editorial insight to a special panel on the bloodstock, breeding and training industry.

3:30pm - 4:15pm

Keynote

Behind the Firewall: Uncovering Australia’s Shadow Betting Market

Award-winning investigative journalist and documentary maker Jack Kerr reveals how illegal offshore gambling operators are infiltrating the Australian market, using the internet, VPNs and loopholes to target Australian customers directly, bypassing national regulations. He also explores how these operators are harvesting data from grassroots and amateur sports to fuel unregulated betting markets overseas, raising serious integrity and enforcement concerns.

• Jack Kerr - Investigative Reporter and Journalist

4:15pm - 5:00pm

Panel

Inside the Regulatory Agenda: Reform, Integrity and Enforcement

Join senior leaders from key regulatory bodies for a wide-ranging discussion on the current and future state of gambling regulation in Australia. This session will explore key issues including the implementation of BetStop, proposed restrictions on gambling advertising, sports integrity risks, enforcement against illegal offshore operators, and emerging challenges in licensing and compliance.

• Peter Cohen - Director Regulatory Affairs, The Agenda Group (Moderator)

  • Suzy Neilan - Chief Executive Officer, Victorian Gambling and Casino Control Commission (VGCCC)

  • Carolyn Lidgerwood - Authority Member and Gambling Lead, Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA)

  • Terrie Benfield - Racing Integrity Commissioner, Victorian Government

9am

Welcome and day 1 recap

9:15am - 10:00am

Keynote

Data & Insights from the Racing and Wagering Industry

• Simon Berry - Head of Insights, Gemba

10:00am - 10:45am

Panel

The Trust Factor: Animal Welfare, Public Image and the Generational Divide

Leaders from across the racing codes explore how the industry is responding to changing public expectations, particularly across generational lines. With a focus on animal welfare, public perception, and trust, panellists will examine the shared challenges facing each code and the strategies being used to reshape the narrative and build a more trusted, sustainable future for the sport.

• Ryan Phelan - Head of Media, Harness Racing Victoria

  • Vaughn Lynch - Chief Operating Officer, Racing Victoria

  • Peita Duncan - Board Chair, Greyhound Racing Victoria

  • Doug Freeman - Board Member, Harness Racing NSW

11:15am - 11:45am

Keynote

A View from the Northern Territory Regulator

As Chair of the Northern Territory Racing and Wagering Commission, Alastair Shields chairs the body responsible for licensing and regulating sports bookmakers and betting exchanges licensed in the Northern Territory. Shaped by delegate feedback, this keynote will explore the Commission’s current enforcement priorities and examine trends in complaints received. It’s a valuable opportunity to hear directly from the regulator at the centre of Australia’s most active licensing jurisdiction, and one that oversees Australia’s largest bookmakers.

• Alastair Shields - Chair, Northern Territory Racing and Wagering Commission

11:45am - 12:30pm

Panel

What Works? Reimagining Responsibility in Online Wagering

With responsible gambling under sharper regulatory and public scrutiny, this panel brings together voices from government, industry, and behavioural science to explore what’s actually working in harm minimisation. From data-driven tools to policy shifts and operator accountability, the discussion will focus on where responsibility is heading in 2025 and beyond.

1:30pm - 2:15pm

Panel

Powering Sport and Brand Growth Through Partnerships

Partnerships and sponsorships in live sport have evolved well beyond simple logo placement. In today’s fast-paced wagering and racing environment, brands seek to forge genuine connections with fans, share brand equity with sporting partners, and achieve measurable commercial outcomes. Industry leaders will share insights on creating strategic partnerships that go beyond traditional sponsorship, showing how wagering operators, sporting bodies, and rights holders can deliver value on and off the track.

• Ben Turner - Head of Sports Content and Partnerships, APAC / Head of Global Basketball, Sportradar

  • Troy Benton - Director Marketing & Innovation, Tabcorp

  • Rob Annable - Chief Commercial Officer, Picklebet

  • Ben Holst, Senior Industry Partnerships Manager – Commercial, Sportsbet

2:15pm - 3:00pm

Panel

Racing Across Borders: Global Perspectives on the Future of Thoroughbred Racing

This panel brings together senior leaders from Australia, New Zealand and the UK to explore the future of thoroughbred racing through both international and local lenses. The discussion will focus on the practical realities of leading a racing jurisdiction - including how to keep participants in the game, how to fund prize money sustainably, and what role wagering, scheduling, and cross-border cooperation play in the long-term health of the sport.

• Paul Cross - Director, Crossy Consulting (moderator)

  • Aaron Morrison - CEO, Racing Victoria

  • Matt Ballesty - CEO, New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing

  • Brant Dunshea - Acting CEO, British Horseracing Authority (BHA)

3:00 - 3:05pm

Closing address